Located in the picturesque city of Lucerne, the Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus der Schweiz) is a must-visit destination for families. This expansive museum offers an interactive journey through the history and future of transportation—covering rail, road, water, air, and even space travel. We’ve visited multiple times, and each visit reveals something new and fun. We love that the museum continually updates and adds new exhibits, making every experience fresh and exciting. Families can easily spend a full day here, though our younger kids usually tire after three to five hours.
Exploring the Museum
The museum features exhibits on rail, road, aviation, navigation, and cableways. Housing over 3,000 objects—from historic locomotives to modern aircraft and space vehicles—it offers endless opportunities for discovery. Families can board real airplanes, step into vintage train cars, or imagine themselves as race car drivers. We love how interactive the exhibits are, with signage available in German, English, French, and Italian. Visitors can try life-sized models and simulators, like driving a train, flying a blimp, or testing their speed on a race car course. My son’s favorite spot is the mirror maze, while my daughter can’t get enough of the Swiss Air exhibit with its high-speed slide. For first-time visitors, the museum can feel overwhelming, so give kids time to explore at their own pace. We usually spend about an hour in each section before moving on to the next building. By the end, our kids are always happily exhausted.
Outdoor Fun for Kids
On sunny days, we love spending time in the museum’s outdoor courtyard. There’s a supervised driving course where kids can safely drive small vehicles and free scooters available for roaming the space. My children are obsessed with the outdoor construction site, where they can dig rocks and play for hours. There’s also a charming farm exhibit featuring large tractors and life-size wooden Trauffer farm animals—perfect for kids to run, climb, and burn off energy.
Timed Events and Activities
As you explore, look out for blue signs showing schedules for special events. Some highlights include the crash test demonstration, the REGA emergency plane visit, and the boom lift ride to learn about electricity from above. Families can also take on fun challenges, such as changing race car tires. These activities are spread throughout the museum, adding extra excitement to your day. On nice days, don’t miss the mini locomotive ride that winds through the museum grounds—our kids always dash to the station when they see it running. Tickets for the mini train can be purchased right at the station.
Family Dining Options
Overlooking the outdoor courtyard is a self-service restaurant perfect for families. It offers a children’s menu with chicken nuggets, pasta, and pizza, alongside daily specials, sausages, schnitzel, hotdogs, and a salad bar. Highchairs are readily available. The restaurant can get crowded at lunchtime—especially on weekends—so we recommend arriving around 11:30 a.m. or after 1:00 p.m. to avoid the rush. Near the entrance, there’s also a walk-up coffee bar serving snacks and drinks. We usually bring a few extra snacks for the kids to enjoy throughout the day.
Tickets and Attractions
Tickets can be purchased online or at the entrance, but buying in advance is recommended to skip queues, particularly on weekends. Look for special offers through the Swiss Coupon Pass or COOP Hello Family for discounts. In addition to the museum, the complex includes a Planetarium (mostly in German, with headsets available for other languages), a Filmtheater showing documentaries and feature films, and the Swiss Chocolate Adventure. For more information on the Swiss Chocolate Adventure, check out our detailed review and tips. Guests can purchase a day pass covering all attractions or select individual tickets depending on their interests and schedule.
Helpful Amenities
The Swiss Museum of Transport is stroller-friendly, with wide walkways and elevators throughout. Lockers are available in multiple sizes for storing personal items, and two gift shops offer fun souvenirs. Outside, a spacious green park by Lake Lucerne provides beautiful views and extra play space where kids can unwind after exploring the museum.
Getting There
If you’re driving, several large pay parking lots are located near the museum. For a scenic option, take the ferry from Lucerne city center to the “Verkehrshaus-Lido” port—it’s a 10–15 minute ride with fantastic lake and mountain views. The museum is also easily accessible by public transportation: take the train to “Luzern Verkehrshaus” or the bus to the “Verkehrshaus” stop.
Final Thoughts
The Swiss Museum of Transport is one of the best family attractions in Switzerland and an ideal destination for a rainy day—or any day. It’s one of our family’s all-time favorites, and we always bring visiting friends and relatives here. With its hands-on exhibits, outdoor areas, and family-friendly amenities, it’s easy to see why the Swiss Museum of Transport is Switzerland’s most visited museum.